Ensemble Mare Nostrum - La Forza Delle Stelle - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The reputation of San Giovanni Battista, by far Alessandro Stradellas best-known and most recorded work by, has so far overshadowed the rest of his surviving oratorio output, amounting to a total of six works. Unlike the most representative masterwork, San Giovanni Crisostomo here released for the first time was conceived for more intimate resources and yet perfectly expresses the modernity of the oratorio genre as it appeared in the second half of the 17th century. Sacred and moral themes are combined with political, social, and sometimes erotic ones, and the subject, libretto, and music interact on multiple levels with surprising boldness and freedom. Album Tracks 1. Chi 'l Freno Non Regge 2. Nel Regio Trono Di Bisanzio Assisa 3. Rei Timori, Perché a Stuolo 4. Ma Quai Folli Deliri 5. Se Teme Chi Regna 6. SÌ Mal Nati Consigli 7. Se Le Mal Corrette Voglie 8. Par Che Gelida Tema 9. Benché Audace Sia 'l Desire 10. Crisostomo S'appelli 11. Talor - Giammai Si Cade 12. Eudosia, Ah, Non Son Io? 13. Fugge Il DÌ, Fugge la Vita 14. Forse Non Si Rammenta 15. Ogni Regno Diviso Sen Va 16. Non Vil Capanna 17. Regio Cor D'ardimento 18. La Morte N'addita 19. Invano, Invan Si Tenta 20. Alme Ree, Turba Mendace 21. Della Vita Il Fragil Legno 22. Tu Forse Il Patrio Lito 23. Fra Procelle la Nave Perì 24. Su, Tacete, Tacete! 25. Chi Col Picciolo Serpente 26. Non Causi Anco Pensiero! 27. Tu Che Sei Di Verità 28. Ascolta, Eudosia, Ascolta 29. Su, Destati, O Sdegno! 30. Atto Sempre Non È D'alma Clemente 31. Benché Giuste Tempra L'ire 32. Crisostomo, Deh, Ascolta 33. Qual Vago Candore 34. Dal Real Trono Lunge 35. È SÌ Bella la Luce Del DÌ 36. Poi Ch'a Sponde Remote 37. Già Placata Ogni Procella 38. Al Tuo Merto, Alta Reina 39. D'obbedirti Il Fato Ambisce 40. Vive Eudosia Tra Fasti 41. Giocondo Nel Mondo 42.

Mason's work is the result of an intensive exchange with the musicians of ENSEMBLE RECHERCHE. He leaves the Well-Tempered Sound to let floating states arise and disappear. At the tonal center is the piano, with an enraptured mood that appears like a flicker above the sounds of the ensemble. Mason works four-dimensionally with space and time. Sounds move along their paths like meteors, fade away and dive into infinity. He composes sounds, noises and spaces in the course of time. At the end of the piece, the cello is left all alone, lost in an ecstatic semi-improvisation, while the other instruments wistfully penetrate into the distance. Album Tracks 1. Zwischen den Sternen~I. Between the Stars, How Far... 2. Zwischen den Sternen~II. ...and yet, by how much still farther, what we learn from the here and now 3. Zwischen den Sternen~Interlude I 4. Zwischen den Sternen~III. O how incredibly distant 5. Zwischen den Sternen~Interlude II 6. Zwischen den Sternen~IV. Everything is far. 7. Zwischen den Sternen~V. ...and nowhere does the circle close 8. Zwischen den Sternen~VI. But is there not perhaps a place, where what would be the fishes' language is spoken without them?

Founded ten years ago, Ensemble Ouranos is now one of the best French wind quintets in the world. For this new recording, their first for Alpha Classics, Mathilde, Arnaud, Amaury, Philibert, Rafael and Nicolas have brought together composers and works that are particularly close to their hearts Le Tombeau de Couperin glorifies the French wind school, and Shostakovich is their passion, so recording this transcription (by David Walter) of the famous quartet for the first time was at the top of their wish list. The two works have one thing in common homage, since Ravel composed in tribute to his friends who died in the war, and Shostakovich to the victims of the Second World War. Another tribute - a lighter one - is paid to summer with Barber's superb Summer Music, the only original piece for wind quintet on this album. Added to this are Ravel's famous Pavane and an arrangement by Nicolas Ramez of the poignant Elegy from Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk Album Tracks 1. Tombeau de Couperin-I. Prélude 2. Tombeau de Couperin-II. Fugue 3. Tombeau de Couperin-V. Menuet 4. Tombeau de Couperin-IV. Rigaudon 5. Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte 6. Summer Music, Op. 31-I. Slow and Indolent 7. Summer Music, Op. 31-II. Lively, Still Faster 8. Summer Music, Op. 31-III. Faster 9. Summer Music, Op. 31-IV. Tempo Primo, Joyous and Flowing 10. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-I. Largo 11. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-II. Allegro Molto 12. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-III. Allegretto 13. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-IV. Largo 14. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-V. Largo 15. Pieces (2) for String Quartet)-Elégie. Adagio